Lime Trees.

[simon kerr]

I have just returned from France where in the Perche region saw a lot of Lime trees in flower covered in the local bees.
I want to plant some at my home can anyone recommend or have experience as which variety would be the most beneficial to the bees and good for the nectar??

Tar.

 

[RoseCottage]

I planted 2 limes 8 years ago in my garden and they are beautiful and in full flower now.

Here's what I have:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilia_cordata

Very common and very bee friendly,

All the best,
Sam

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Absolutely magnificent sound just starting our way with the bees on the lime trees

 

[ericbeaumont]

FN Howes' "Plants and Beekeeping" (Faber & Faber/1945) is the book to have. He describes in five pages how to choose lime to supply nectar from the middle of June to the middle of August.

C.Arden in Hay-on-Wye have them for about a tenner: an invaluable and essential book.

Eric.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, small leaved lime. Tilia Cordata.........I have two in my garden.

 

[simon kerr]

Having done some reading on limes it appears some are toxin or are similar to a narcotic???

 

[Ed Woods]

My house backs onto a church and the church is fronted by a row of Lime trees and my bees are all over them

 

[Beeline]

There are two varieties of lime are known to stupify bees. Check the various threads on this forum.

I agree, we should all make a conscious effort to plant more trees beneficial to bees e.g. acacias, sorbus, lime etc.

 

[Ed Woods]

There are two varieties of lime are known to stupify bees. Check the various threads on this forum.

I agree, we should all make a conscious effort to plant more trees beneficial to bees e.g. acacias, sorbus, lime etc.

I plan to raise saplings of various bee friendly trees and also bee friendly shrubs and flowers and sell them at village fetes etc - increase the local forage

 

[adrian wilford]

bloody lovely honey from lime trees

 

[nelletap]

Can anyone confirm or otherwise that this is a lime tree? Heart shaped leaves of rather a bright green with bracts of flowers (as yet in buds). The leaves must be about 4 inches across - larger than some varieties I have seen. I think some of the other lime trees have names Linden
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150151728961788.343302.507721787&saved#!/photo.php?fbid=10150320212551788&set=a.10150151728961788.343302.507721787&type=1&theater

 

[rockdoc]

Apparently the honey is very slow to set. Oh and you can eat the young leaves mixed with salad!

 

[sunshinemedic]

Can anyone confirm or otherwise that this is a lime tree? Heart shaped leaves of rather a bright green with bracts of flowers (as yet in buds). The leaves must be about 4 inches across - larger than some varieties I have seen. I think some of the other lime trees have names Linden
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150151728961788.343302.507721787&saved#!/photo.php?fbid=10150320212551788&set=a.10150151728961788.343302.507721787&type=1&theater

Need a facebook login to see it??

Anyhow, Lime trees are common in my suburb and are a big source of the current nectar flow...

 

[Polyanwood]

It didn't look like lime to me....I needed to see the flowers better they were a bit blurry, but to me it looked like a type of ivy (hedera) and not lime, but it might just have ivy in it?

 

[Skyhook]

I don't think it's a lime- possibly Catalpa bignoniodes (Indian bean tree). Google that and compare pics.

 

[fredbloggs]

I believe that the lime benefits from a bumper nectar flow every 20 years or so. This may just be coincidental with the previous years rainfall pattern as it is with some fruit bushes??

Many years ago, my bee tutor kept hives in Bushy Park on a set of bathroom scales. One hive put on 70 lb weight in a matter of days?

FB

 

[Skyhook]

I believe that the lime benefits from a bumper nectar flow every 20 years or so. This may just be coincidental with the previous years rainfall pattern as it is with some fruit bushes??

Many years ago, my bee tutor kept hives in Bushy Park on a set of bathroom scales. One hive put on 70 lb weight in a matter of days?

FB

I think what's called for is a wet may and June, then hot weather when the lime is actually in flower. Last year was pretty good round here., this year there's hardly ben a bee on the limes.

 

[drstitson]

nelletap - can't see the pic(s) but if the seed pods look like vanilla pods/black french beans then it is a catalpa.

BTW apparently catalpas are good for repelling mozzies.

 

[Winker]

forget the lime, i have 100 Bee tree seeds. I am going to change the landscape of bedfordshire with bee trees...Every where

 

[simon kerr]

Can anyone confirm or otherwise that this is a lime tree? Heart shaped leaves of rather a bright green with bracts of flowers (as yet in buds). The leaves must be about 4 inches across - larger than some varieties I have seen. I think some of the other lime trees have names Linden
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150151728961788.343302.507721787&saved#!/photo.php?fbid=10150320212551788&set=a.10150151728961788.343302.507721787&type=1&theater

Looks a bit like a Lilac.